Self harming is the act of deliberately harming or causing an injury to yourself. This can take many forms such as cutting, burning, scratching, stabbing and bruising and may take place every now and then or all the time. Such actions are rarely suicide attempts or merely attention-seeking behaviour but, rather, outward expressions of serious emotions and feelings. Resorting to self-harming is often a way of coping with difficulties and may feel like it:

• Gives permission for feelings of pain
• Gains a sense of control
• Distracts and bring a sense of relief
• Manages feelings you don't want
• Punishes yourself
• Express feelings of shame or self hatred
• Overcome numbness and make you feel
• Externalise pain you feel inside
• Let others know something is not right

Often self-harming comes about through an inner turmoil (perhaps feeling powerless, trapped or without choice) or from experiences which are difficult to handle in the past or present. It is common for people who self harm to feel isolated, feel they don't have support and are unable to express their distress in a healthy way.

Advice about self harming

• Firstly, it is important to look after injuries and look for first aid or medical help if needed.
• It can be useful to keep a diary of self-harming and to monitor what prompts the thoughts and emotions.
• It is important to try to understand the need to self-harm by talking it through with someone who can help explore the thoughts, ideas and feelings attached to harming yourself.
• Research shows that professional support can help. It may be important to consider alternative coping strategies that are more constructive.
• Contact advice and support services like the Youth Advice Centre, Young People's Centre or your GP to find out more about it, and find out where you or someone else can get the help and support they need.
• You or your friends are never alone! Always talk to someone you trust.
• If you know of anyone who is self harming, try and speak to them and getting them some information about it. Their maybe some serious issues behind why they do it and talking to someone will help sort them out.

Remember

There is always someone you can talk to about anything no matter how you may feel. If you ever experience any problems then you should always talk to someone you trust and get help and support from them.

Alternatives to self harming

As a direct alternative to self harm, holding ice cubes in a hand and trying to crush them, has the same result, but without any long term physical effects. Another alternative can be having an elastic band on a wrist that is pinged onto the skin to give a short spurt of pain and a small rush - this however does need to be done in moderation, as overdoing it can bruise. One other form is to pluck hairs on legs or arms as a technique for weaning off cutting.

A lot of harming is done on impulse - so encouraging someone to wait five minutes each time they want to harm can help the urge to pass. If the person has identified why they are self harming, it can be very helpful to explore different ways of expressing those feelings and thoughts.

For more information see the links below to specialist advice about self harming.

Services which can help

Self harming can be very secretive and personal for a young person. However, if you are self harming or know someone who is then it's important to make sure that you have someone you can talk to and get support from when you need it. This could be a friend, family member, youth worker, connexions PA or someone you trust.

You could always talk to your GP and get help and advice from them about self harming. If need be they can refer you to specialist support services such as the Specialist CAMHS (Child & Adolescence Mental Health Services) who can offer you help and support. Alternatively young people can also contact CAMHS directly for further information and advice.

Specialist CAMHS

St Stephen's house, Borough Street, The White House, 54 New Church Road, Hove. Tel: (01273) 327221

The Connexions Service has a Specialist Connexions Advisor for young people worried about their mental health; such as; depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, lack of motivation, self-harm, bereavement and any young person with a mental health diagnosis. You can contact them at:

YPC, Young People's Centre, 69 Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AE

Tel. 01273 887886

The Youth Advice Centre can also offer young people advice and support about a range of issues and help you find out more about where you can get specialist help and support.

Youth Advice Centre

65 Blatchington Road, Hove

Tel: (01273)

The Young people's Centre can also help young people and support you in finding help and support in the city.

Young People's Centre

Ship Street, Brighton

Tel: (01273)

There are also several websites which can offer advice, information and support to young people about self harming. See the links below for more information.

Alternatively, see the 'Map of Services' on this website for more information about different places and people you could go and speak to and get help and support from in the city.

Downloads

Deliberate self harming in young people: This factsheet from the Royal College of Psychiatrists provides young people with more information about self harming and where young people can get help.

Self Harming: Tips on what to do: This download provides young people with a bit more advice and information about what you can do about self harming. However, if you are self harming or know someone who is you should always seek professional and specialist advice and support.

Links

www.siari.co.uk/

The Self Injury and Related Issues website aims to raise awareness about self-injury, as well as offering hope, support, and information to those who self-injure, their families, and those who work alongside people who hurt themselves. The site provides one of the most comprehensive sources of information and resources currently available on self-injury/self-harm and related issues, and will be of value to anyone wanting to gain insight into the complex and much-misunderstood phenomenon of self-injury, and the issues that surround it.

www.youngminds.org.uk/selfharm/

Young minds is a website designed for young people to give them honest information about a range of mental health issues. The site has lots of links and information about self harming for young people and parents.

www.connexions-direct.com/index.cfm?pid=102&catalogueContentID=296

The Connexions website has information for young people about self harming and where you can access help, advice, information and support.

www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/emotion_selfharm.shtml

The BBC website offers a wide range of advice and information about all sorts of mental health issues including self harming. Their site explains what self harming is, why it happens and what young people can do about it.

www.selfharmuk.org/

The selfharmuk website gives you information about a national enquiry into young people and self harming. How it happens, how often it happens and why young people self harm.

www.selfharm.org.uk/

Self harm.org provides young people who self harm, their friends, family and professionals information and advice about self harming.

www.thesite.org/healthandwellbeing/mentalhealth/selfharm/stopselfharming

This website gives great practical information and advice about self harming and what you should do.

www.mind.org.uk/

Mind is an organization which provides a lot of information and advice about mental health issues. Mind also campaigns for better understanding in society about mental health issues and the need for more services to help support people who are experiencing difficulties.

www.childline.org.uk/pdfs/info-self-harm.pdf

Childline have had years of experience of supporting young people who self harm. They have a lot of information and advice which can help.

www.selfharmalliance.org/

The Self Harm Alliance website offers a range of advice and information about self harming for young people, parents/carers and professionals.

www.nshn.co.uk/

The National Self Harm Network is a survivor-led organisation which offers support to survivors and people who self-harm. The NSHN also support the people it indirectly affects, like family and friends, offering a place where they can discuss the issue and gain effective support through the forums available on the website.

www.samaritans.org.uk/

The Samaritans website offers a number of ways in which children, young people, parents or carers can contact them for advice and support about a range of issues.